Queens high school coach remembers fallen FDNY Firefighter Timothy Klein
NEW YORK -- The community continues to mourn the death of FDNY Firefighter Timothy Klein.
Tuesday, Klein was remembered by those who knew him, including his former teachers and coaches, CBS2's Kevin Rincon reported.
Before becoming a firefighter, Klein was a Molloy High School student-athlete known for his drive.
"He was a pleasure to have coached. He was one of those tough, gritty, Rockaway kids," said Edward Shannon, dean of students at Archbishop Molloy High School.
Shannon was Klein's junior varsity basketball coach. Klein was undersized, but made up for it with his hard work and dedication, he said.
"As we look now to what he did as a part of the firemen, and as part of the fire department, he was a true team player. He was a part of that team that went in to do their best to try to save people's lives, and he gave the ultimate sacrifice," Shannon said.
Klein graduated from Molloy in 2008.
"His family was here for 10 years. So when he left us, he had a beautiful family of three sisters that came through, and just wonderful people. Dedicated, always involved in Molloy," Shannon said.
Timothy Klein left a mark. Erin, Bridget and Tara Klein were also student-athletes who served their community.
Suellen Foti, or Ms. Foti as the kids call her, was Klein's first grade teacher at Saint Francis de Sales Academy in Belle Harbor.
"He was a bundle of energy. He loved to learn," Foti said. "He was just a great, happy kid who did very well in school, he wanted to please everybody and was just a joy to have."
Foti called Klein's death battling a house fire in Canarsie heartbreaking, but she remembered his passion for the career.
"I remember that we used to have the firemen come in and they did a whole fire safety and let them try on uniforms and everything, and he along with all the other students were so excited and they so wanted to be a fireman," Foti said.
Klein went on to serve with the FDNY, just as his father did, more than 20 years later.
"I watched him grow up throughout the eight years he was here at St. Francis," Fori said. "He was a very good boy and he'll be sorely missed."